By Lateef Ibrahim
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in a suit challenging the emergence of the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) until September 28, 2026.
The suit was filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, an aggrieved member of the party, seeking to restrain former Senate President David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the party’s interim National Working Committee (NWC) from parading themselves as the legitimate leadership of the ADC.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was scheduled for Monday for the hearing of pending applications. However, proceedings could not take place as the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, did not sit.
The matter was consequently adjourned to September 28.
Gombe had instituted the action against five defendants: the ADC as first defendant, David Mark as second defendant, Aregbesola as third defendant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as fourth defendant and Ralph Nwosu as fifth defendant.
The plaintiff is challenging the process through which Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim NWC emerged as the party’s leadership, arguing that the arrangement contravened provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.
He is asking the court to restrain the defendants from recognizing or presenting the Mark-led structure as the legitimate leadership of the party.
The legal battle had earlier taken another turn after the ADC and Aregbesola separately asked Justice Lifu to withdraw from the case, alleging bias.
Justice Lifu, however, dismissed the applications seeking his recusal, paving the way for the pending applications in the substantive suit to be heard.
In dismissing the recusal applications filed by the ADC and Aregbesola, the judge reportedly described the motions as lacking merit and awarded N1 million costs against each of them in favour of Gombe.
Ralph Nwosu, who is listed as the fifth defendant, is the former National Chairman of the ADC who stepped aside from the leadership of the party to pave the way for Mark’s emergence.
The suit therefore adds another legal dimension to the leadership transition within the ADC as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The September 28 hearing is expected to provide another opportunity for the court to consider the pending applications in the case
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